The subject invention is directed to a method of forming a shield device. The invention is especially suited for forming water deflectors of the type used in the automotive industry to protect the interior of door panels and will be described with particular reference thereto; however, the invention is capable of broader application and could be used for forming paint masks or similar shields or protective devices for either temporary or permanent installation to a subjacent surface.
In the commonly assigned U. S. Pat. No. 4,696,848 issued Sept. 29, 1987, to Wallace R. Jones, et al., there is disclosed a surface protector and a method of forming the same which allows a flat plastic sheet to include a laterally deflectable bulge or pocket so that the plastic can be used on surfaces which include a surface discontinuity such as a recess or protuberance. For example, such bulges or pockets are desirable when the protectors are used as a water deflector on a vehicle doors. The pockets allow the protectors to encompass ashtrays, radio speakers, and similar devices which extend inwardly of the door from the inner door panel.
In the method disclosed in the above discussed prior patent, the bulges or protuberances are formed by vacuum forming a plurality of small, closely spaced corrugations about the area in which is desired to provide a bulge or pocket. Preferably, the corrugations are forced in a manner to allow the pocket forming area to lie nearly within the plane of the entire sheet until it is desired to move the pocket forming area to its deflected position. This offers significant advantages because the deflector sheets with the pocket forming areas can be readily stacked and stored as compared to those sheets wherein the pockets or bulges are fully formed in their deflected position.
As can be appreciated, the prior deflector sheets wherein the pockets or bulges are formed by thermoforming operations require that the corrugations or pocket forming areas be formed on individual sheets. That is, the sheets must be formed individually and multiple numbers of sheets cannot be processed simultaneously. Accordingly, production rates can be increased only by increasing the number or speed of the thermoforming presses available.
The subject invention provides a method of forming the pockets or bulges which does not require thermoforming presses and which allows multiple sheets to have the pockets formed therein simultaneously without using thermoforming presses.